Thus, by the beginning of the 17th century, the Robin Hood legend had acquired most of the ingredients to which books and, later, films and television series would adhere. It was around this time, also, that Sherwood Forest appears to have outgrown Barnsdale as his greenwood abode. The early ballads had actually mentioned both. The Geste, although placing him in Barnsdale had also pitted him against the sheriff of Nottingham, who would obviously have had no jurisdiction in Yorkshire’s Barnsdale Forest. It is, of course, possible that two different traditions, concerning two different outlaws, in two different forests were fused together, as the legend of Robin Hood gained in popularity, and evolved into the version that would carry his name far beyond the confines of any one locality.
And that, of course, is the important point. Robin Hood belongs to all men and to all ages. His appeal has always been his ability to adapt to new surroundings. He is the evergreen hero, the good outlaw battling against the evils of bad authority. He is as much an inspiration today as ever he was in the past and, as such, Robin Hood, the champion of the people will never die.
